Introduction to the
Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF)

Introduction to the Nevada Educator Performance Framework

In 2011, legislation passed that required the development of a statewide performance evaluation system for teachers and school administrators. The Teachers and Leaders Council (TLC) was created to develop the Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF). The first task of the Council was to establish guiding beliefs and goals for this evaluation system, now known as the Nevada Educator Performance Framework (outlined below). The NEPF was not fully implemented until 2015, and it has undergone a series of changes every year primarily as a result of legislation. 

TLC Beliefs

To promote educator effectiveness and ensure all students attain essential skills to graduate high school ready for college and career success:

• All educators* (see definition in the Glossary) can improve through effective, targeted professional development, as identified through the evaluation process and connected to district improvement plans and goals designed to inform and transform practice;

• An effective evaluation system must include clear expectations for both professional practice and student growth as well as fair, meaningful, and timely feedback;

• A consistent and supportive teacher and administrator evaluation system includes opportunities for self-reflection and continuous, measurable feedback to improve the performance of students, teachers, administrators, and the system; and

• The evaluation system must be part of a larger professional growth system that consistently evolves and improves to support the teachers and administrators that it serves.

Evaluation System Goals

The Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF) Goals:

Goal 1:    Foster student learning and growth

Goal 2:    Improve educators’ effective instructional practices

Goal 3:    Inform human capital decisions based on a professional growth system

Goal 4:    Engage stakeholders in the continuous improvement and monitoring of a professional growth system

The system based on these guiding beliefs and goals, the foundation on which the NEPF was created, should ensure that educators: 

• Positively impact the achievement of students in Nevada;

• Grow professionally through targeted, sustained professional development and other supports;

• Monitor student growth, identify and develop quality instructional practices, and share effective educational methods with colleagues;

• Reflect upon practice and take ownership of their professional growth; and

• Participate in constructive dialogue and obtain specific, supportive feedback from evaluators.

Overview of the Framework

The NEPF for Teachers consists of two categories and three domains. The Educational Practice Category consists of the Instructional Practice and Professional Responsibilities Domains. The Student Performance Category is the Student Performance Domain (Student Learning Goal and Professional Practice Goal). This course focuses specifically on the Educational Practice Category.

The two domains that comprise the Educational Practice Category are Instructional Practice and Professional Responsibilities. The Instructional Practice Domain identifies and defines the standards for measuring teacher behavior as he/she delivers instruction in the classroom, while also specifically monitoring student behavior. The Professional Responsibilities Domain addresses the standards for what a teacher does outside of instruction to influence and prepare for student learning at each student’s highest ability level in the classroom and to promote the effectiveness of the school community. 

The Standards are based on a vast body of empirical evidence demonstrating an immediate and important connection to fostering student success by building students’ 21st-century skills so they graduate college and career ready. The rubrics and associated performance levels to assess the Indicators were designed to look at teacher and student behavior, with a focus on outcomes versus processes. 

The next page will review the NEPF evaluation cycle, but upcoming sections will focus on each of the two Educational Practice domains: Instructional Practice and Professional Responsibilities.

Please see the Nevada Department of Education’s Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF) webpage for current tools, protocols, and resources.